Tool Talk™

Sewer, Drain & Culvert Experts

The world of sewer and drain cleaning offers a tremendous variety of tool options. They include multi-orifice nozzle heads, chain flailing, carbide cutters, and hydraulic saws. The top performers of these tools are the self-rotary and speed controlled models. Self-rotation provides for complete interior cleaning of the pipe while the speed control allows the jets to do their work efficiently. Our staff of technical specialists are here to help you every step of the way, just give them a call.

Number of Nozzles

The fewer the nozzles the more powerful each jet will be. This is because your pump has a specific power output which is then divided by the number of jets being used. Warthog® jets are positioned so one is forward at a 15° angle for boring, while the remaining four jets are at 142° to the rear. The front jet is designed to clear blockages, allowing the tool to progress through the pipe, while 90% of the tool’s power is directed through the rear jets which produce powerful cleaning, cutting and thrust.

Speed of Rotation

All WARTHOG® nozzles rotate, which allows for the entire cleaning of the inner pipe wall, while other tools with non-rotating jets will leave stripes. The rpm range on the Warthog® is from 150-300 rpm. Self-rotary nozzles that spin too fast do not allow the jets time to cut through tough deposits or roots, as the jet path deteriorates due to the velocity of rotation.

Thrust

Thrust, or pulling power, is measured in terms of pounds of thrust. Thrust allows sewer cleaning tools to pull heavy hose for long distances to get from one access to the next. One important note is that each tool’s individual weight is not as important as its pulling capacity. Warthog® tools can generate as much as 100 lbs of thrust depending on the model and the flow being supplied.